It was 5pm as Fletch turned into the top of his road. The rain hammered down onto the windscreen of the car and the wipers swished backwards and forwards furiously.

Ella and Mikey shrieked with laughter at his joke, Evie sat in the passenger seat, staring out of the window.

"That's a rubbish joke, Dad" she said grumpily, continuing to look out of the window. Fletch glanced across at his eldest daughter.

"Evie? Are you okay? You've had a good day, yeah?"

Evie looked back at her dad.

"It's always the same Dad, having to drop us back with mum. Why can't you two just sort things out so you can come home?"

Fletch pulled up outside the house and turned off the ignition.

"It's not that simple, Evie" he sighed, turning to his daughter. "You know I'd give anything to be with you all"

He watched as a tear rolled down Evie's cheek, and at that moment, he felt his heart break in two.

"We miss you dad " Mikey said quietly from the back of the car.

"And I miss all three of you" he said blinking back his own tears. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the front door open, and Natalie's figure standing in the doorway.

"Hey" he whispered looking back at Evie. "Don't cry"

He gently brushed away her tear with his thumb.

"Right, you lot! " he said cheerily, clapping his hands together. "We'd better get going. Your Mums probably got your dinner ready!"

He got out of the car and opened the back door, allowing them to file out. He watched as they ran up the front path and into the house, giving their mum a hug on the way past.

"Go and wash your hands for dinner!" She called after them, wincing as Mikey stomped up the stairs and the familiar door slamming returned.

Natalie's smile disappeared as she glared back at Fletch.

"You're late" she said, folding her arms

"It's ten minutes, Nat " fletch replied " its not a problem.."

" I said five o clock"

"Nat, let's just leave the crap..."

"Crap!" Natalie shouted "I-"

" Mum!" Ella called from upstairs, interrupting them " Mikey won't wash his hands!"

"Okay!" Called Natalie, turning round. " I'll be in in a minute!"

Placing her hand on her growing bump, Natalie turned back to Fletch.

" I've got something for you" she said, picking up a brown envelope from the hall table and handing it to him. Fletch turned it over in his hand.

" What's this?"

" From my solicitors" Natalie replied quickly, taking a deep breath. " I want a divorce"

The words hit Fletch like a ten ton truck. He massaged his temples, digesting the news Natalie had just given him.

"What? We haven't even talked about this..."

Natalie snorted

"Talk? You didn't do too much talking when you slept with that agency nurse"

Fletch said nothing, but felt tears pricking at his eyes. He didn't want this, didn't want any of it, but he couldn't help that he'd fallen out of love with his wife, and in love with somebody else.

Natalie glanced quickly behind her as Ella's shriek reverberated throughout the house.

" Look " she said, her tone softening " let's not draw this out. It's not fair on the kids. Sign the papers and drop them back next week"

She stepped back and began to shut the door.

"Nat-"

Natalie hesitated

" Can we at least discuss this?" He pleaded " I'm begging you"

Natalie looked into his sad green eyes and wondered what on earth had happened to them, that they had found themselves here.

" There's nothing left to say, Adrian" she said finally, shaking her head. " I'm sorry"

Fletch watched as the front door closed. He stood on the doorstep staring at the front door for a moment, suddenly realising that it was still raining and he was drenched. Shivering, he turned and ran back to the car, pulling open the door and jumping inside. He slammed the door and watched as the rain snaked down the windscreen. He glanced over at the passenger seat at the brown envelope and suddenly felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. He'd lost everything and it was entirely his fault. Feeling the anger rising, Fletch yelled in frustration and punched his fists down onto the steering wheel. Taking, long deep breaths, he rested his forehead on the cold steering wheel and closed his eyes. For a moment, he felt totally at peace.

Opening his eyes, Fletch caught sight of his mobile in the centre console and he sat back in his seat. His thoughts turned,yet again, to Tess and wondered what she was doing. He certainly needed to hear one of her motivational talks right now. He picked up his mobile and scrolled through his phone book until he found her name, his thumb hesitating over the call button. Would he get her voicemail? Should he leave a message? Would she even call him back?

Taking a deep breath he hit the call button and pressed the phone to his ear.

"Tess?" He said, a smile surfacing at the sound of her voice "it's me"

Tess stepped beneath the hot water of the shower, feeling the warmth on her skin. Closing her eyes, she moved her head under the jet of water, running her hands through her wet hair, trying to wash away the stresses of the last few weeks.

Stepping out of the shower, she grabbed a towel off the radiator and wrapped it round her chest, tying it into a tight knot.

"Oh hell!" She exclaimed to herself as she caught sight of the clock on the bedside table which read six pm. She'd got held up at work and was now late to meet Zoe in the pub for their weekly catch up.

She quickly pulled on her jeans and a white jumper and grabbed her bag off the bed, glancing in the mirror as she went to walk out of the bedroom.

Tess looked round as her mobile rang, vibrating on the bedside table . Picking it up, she saw Fletchs name flash up on the screen. Tess felt her heart thumping, and mentally berated herself that she still let him have this effect on her.

" Grow up, Tess" she said to herself as she answered the call. " Fletch! Hey! Is everything okay?"

Her heart warmed at the sound of his voice, as he assured her everything was fine and not to worry and slowly found herself forgetting that she was already late to meet Zoe.

" No,no it's not a bad time." Tess replied, sitting on the bed " I'm not busy"

She glanced at the clock as she said it, rolling her eyes at her blatant lie.

She smiled and sat crossed legged on the bed as he spoke, listening to him intently. She giggled at his cheekiness, told him off for an inappropriate joke about Lily, and for a split second, things felt like the way they used to be.

Tess swung her legs over the side of the bed, and sat upright, listening to what Fletch was telling her, her smile gone.

" A divorce? What? When?" Tess frowned, listening to the reply. " Oh Fletch, I'm so sorry-"

Her phone began to beep, indicating Zoe on call waiting.

" No, it's just Zoe. I was meant to meet her half an hour ago" Tess explained, " no, no it's fine. If you want to talk about it, you know where I am"

She smiled slightly at Fletch's reply, ever the optimist, worrying about her rather than himself.

"Bye, Fletch" she said quietly, hanging up the phone. Tess came crashing back down to earth with a big thump. The enormity of what they had done and what Fletch had given up for her suddenly came flooding back and she suddenly realised that, no matter how hard they tried, or how much they wanted it, nothing would be the same between them again.